Aretha Franklin Receives Honorary Degree From Harvard University

Aretha Franklin Receives Honorary Degree From Harvard University

The Queen of Soul accepts a doctorate of arts from the Ivy league school.

Published May 30, 2014

Harvard University showed Aretha Franklin well deserved R-E-S-P-E-C-T on Thursday (May 29), when they awarded the Queen of Soul with an honorary doctorate of arts.

Franklin was all smiles at the university's 363rd commencement ceremony as she was one of eight honorary degree recipients, alongside former New York City Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg and President George H. W. Bush.

This latest degree joins a collection for the 18-time Grammy Award-winning artist. Over the course of the last three decades, Franklin has racked up a slew of doctorates from Princeton University (2012); Yale University (2010); Berklee College of Music (2006); the New England Conservatory of Music (1995); the University of Michigan (1987); and more.